Parachute opener



sept.; 1930. A. NELSQN 1,174,811

PARACIHUTE oPENER v 'Filed Feb. 1s, 1929 l Patented Slept.' .2, v189304 y UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE AXEL NELSON, or BRISTOL, PENNSYLVANIA PARACHUTE 'OPENER Application mea February 1a, 1929. serial No.sss,5 o4.

' This invention relates'to a mechanism for opening an aviators parachute.

The main object of the invention is to provide a means whereby an aviators parachute,

6 will be quickly and positively A unfolded or opened 'and brought into use when the necessity arisesto sustain the aviator and provide for his'safe descent even though the parachute is brought into useat a low altitude. Another objectis to provide a device of this character which will be simple and durable in form 'and eiiicient in fullling its function; I

The foregoing and other objects together with means whereby the same may be carried into eiect'will best be understood from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: f

aluminum or other. suitably light material.r

The` said cylinder is provided with. diametritheir lower ends and the cylinder is closed at its upper 4end by a diametrically enlarged cap3, thev said slots 2,'termnating short of thls cap 3 as shown. The lower end of the cylinder lis internally threaded for the reception of a plug, denoted generally'at 4. Anv

annular spreader carrier or plunger 5 is slidably mounted over 'the cylinder .1 and has inwardly directed lugs -adapted to engage the said slots 2 in tthis'cylinder and project inwardly into lthe 'cylinder as shown. An expansion coil spring 7. is bracedbetween these inwardly extended lugs 6 and the plug:

4 andpis adapted to urge' the said. carrier 5 upwardly as will be understood. Locking fthe levers 10 whereby the said carrier will 4between the parachute and one of the spread.

cally opposite longitudinal slots 2 open at.

- ar1i1s8 are pivotally depended from'cthe carrier 5 and angular hooks 9 are provided. upon the inner sides of these arms adjacent their lower ends. .Locking levers 10 are fulcrumed at 11 inthe extended flanges 12 of the plug 4, the upper ends of these levers having angular notches 1 3 in their outer sides to receive the said hooks 9 on the armsv 8. The lower ends of the levers 10' are curved inwardly and upwardly at 14 and a release cord-15 is connected to theirinner ends so that a downward pull' upon this cord will g draw the upper ends of the levers 10 inwardly towards the cylinder as will be understood fromr Figure 2. The levers are normally .y held in their locking position shown, by a Hretractile coil spring .16 stretched between the ends of the levers and the plug 4. From the foregoing it will be apparent that the spreader carrier'5 may be drawn downward until the said hooks 9 upon the locking arms 8 engage the complementary .notches 1 3 in be retained in this lowered position'. By a pull upon the releasev cord 15 the Vupper ends of the leverslO will'swing inward releasing the carrier and the spring 7 will impel the said carrierupward to the top of the slots 2.

The. parachute 17 is of conventional c onupon the cylinder 1 compressing the spring-7 struction having the supporting cords 18 l' which may be secured in any convenient manner to the cap 8 at their upper ends as by tying these .ends in suitableapertures in the cap. Spreader arms 19 are pivoted between the ears 20 formed upon the outer periphery of the annulus of the spreader carrier 5 and the oppositeends of-these arms are pivotally miV attached by pins 21'to the lugs 22 formed upon the sleeves '23 which are clamped upon the support cords 18 in the proper position. In use the device is secured upon theavia- ,tors'backin any suitable manner lwith the ends ofthe said cords 18 secured to 'the-conventional harness about the aviators body so ,that when the parachute is opened it will support him.v Upon pulling the release-cord 15" the carrier will be instantly forced upward as'set lforth. The spreader arms1-9 `willthus be swung upward an d outward caufsing the parachute to be opened as shown in Figure 2 when the carrier 5 reaches the top of the slot's 2. One possibleA method of fold ing the parachute about the opener is shown in Figure 1, however dierent methods may be used as found to be best in the use of the device. Y

While I have herein set -forth a certain prel ferred embodiment of the invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details, notdeparting from the spirit of the invention and Within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a cylinder, a spring set spreader carrier slidably mounted on the cylinder, locking arms depended therefrom, hooks upon the said locking arms, a plugv threaded in one end of the cylinder, spring set locking levers fulcrumed upon the said plug, the said levers having notches to receive the said hooas upon the locking arms, a-parachute attached to the said cylinder and spreader arms pivotally attached to the said spreader carrier and secured to the said parachute.

2. In a device of the characterdescribed, a. cylinder, a-cap thereon, the said cylinder having slots through its Walls, a plug threaded in the'endv of the cylinder, a spring set spreader carrier slidably mounted on thel cylinder, lugs upon the' spreader carrier to engage'the saidslots in the cylinder, locking arms depended from the said carrier, hooks upon the said arms, spring set locking leversfulcrumedv upon the said plug and having notches to engage the said hooks on the locking arms, a release cord operatively connectedy to the said locking levers, a. parachute secured to the said cap on the cylinder and a plurality of spreader arms pivoted bytheir inner ends 'to thesaid spreader carrier and 4attached by their outerends to the said parachum.

3. uIn a device of the character described, a cyhnder, a sprin setspreader carrier slidably mounted in t efcylinder, locking arms upon the carrier, spring setlocking levers fulcrumed upon the cylinder and adapted to vreleasably ,engage the said locking arms, a parachute connected fto the said cylinder and spreader arms pivotally'attached to the said spreaderfcarrier and 'secured to the para ute. In testimony whereof I aix myL-signature.

AXEL NELSON. 

